Joy to the World!





Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Joy to the World!  The Lord has Come!

It's December 2019, and this year we will celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ in the beautiful land of New Zealand.  We have just begun summer here.  We are taken back to our time in Miami, Florida when we were newly married and the temperatures at Christmas time were in the 70's and 80's.  In other words, there will be no snow...and we're okay with that!

We were listening to a Tabernacle Choir CD with songs and music from their 2015 Christmas concert.  That year, the concert was entitled "Hallelujah", and featured guests Laura Osnes and Martin Jarvis.  Four opera singers from the Metropolitan Opera also participated.  At one point in the concert, Martin Jarvis describes a beautiful story behind Handel's Messiah.  At the time that George Frideric Handel wrote the msaterpiece, he was heavily in debt.  He had mainly composed Italian opera, but times were changing.  Because Handel was heavily in debt, it seemed that he might be forced to go to debtor's prison.  Charles Jennens had compliled a Biblical text from the scriptures about the Messiah.  He wanted Handel to compose the music.  Jennen's said, speaking of Handel doing the composition, "I hope he will layout his whole Genius and Skill upon it, that the Composition may excell all his former Compositions, as the the Subject excells every other Subject.  The Subject is Messiah."   At the same time, Handel was given funding by a group of charities from Dublin, Ireland, to compose a new work for a benefit performance that would help free men from debtor's prison.  Handel would also be given his own commission which would help in reversing his own misfortune.

Handel wrote the 260-page oratorio in twenty-four days.  It is said that he wept during the process, overcome by emotion.  He composed the entire Messiah composition without getting much sleep or eating much food.  When he completed "Hallelujah", he reportedly told his servant, "I did think I did see all heaven before me, and the Great God Himself seated on his throne, with His company of Angels."

NEWS OF OUR MISSION

 *THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACCEPTING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS INCREASING!

 *WE JUST HELD A WONDERFUL MISSION CONFERENCE FOR ALL MISSIONARIES---DEVOTIONALS, TESTIMONIES GIVEN, SPORTS ACTIVITIES, GREAT FOOD, WONDERFUL MUSIC, VISITING---ALL AT THE CHURCH-OWNED CAMP TUHIKARAMEA.

 *ONE OF OUR MISSION MOTTOS IS "BOOTS ON THE GROUND UNTIL 9:00 pm."  IT MEANS WE GIVE OUR ALL TO THE LORD EACH DAY UNTIL THE DAY ENDS.  BUT OUR MISSION PRESIDENT ALSO BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAY HARD AFTER WORKING HARD!

 *IT IS HUMBLING TO SEE MISSIONARIES STRUGGLING WITH CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY HEALTH ISSUES. GREAT MISSIONARIES TRYING TO GIVE THEIR ALL, BUT LIMITED BY THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL.

 Marissa and Rachael came to visit! Also, Doug's siblings stopped to spend time with us as they were on a cruise.  We were able to enjoy some fun activitiees together!

 We bear witness of the divinity of our Savior Jesus Christ.  We know that he atoned for our sins and that through Him, we will live on after this life.  He brings meaning, peace, and joy to our lives.

 Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season, enjoying time with those you love!

 We love you!
Elder and Sister Folland







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